Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-24
THE KICKING KNIGHTS.
A Bombshen In the CamP-A Circular
from the "Antis."

A Bombshell In the Camp-A Circular
from the "Antis."
CHICAGO October 23.-The dissenters
from tine action taken at the Minneapolis
convention, have declared open war
with the Executive Board OF the
knights of Labor, and have is
sued their declaration of independence
On returning from the Convention, about
thirty.fve delegates, representing thirteen
states, stopped in Chicago aud determined
to buug about reorganization Of the
order. They elected provisional Com
mittee of five members, OF which Charles
+. Seib WAS made secretary. A long
communication was drafted at Secretary
Seib' sOfiiCe to-day and will he lOrwaaded to-
morrow in i circular from the Knights Of
Labor all over the country The follow
ing is the communication:
HEADQ'Rs PROVISIONAL COMMITTEES, /
CHICAGO, October %, 1887. !
CHAs. F. SEIB, Sec'y, 1860 East Wash
iRgton street, Chicago.
CIRCULAR No. |.
10 the Rank and File Of the Or3er Of the
knights Of Labor,
Indignant NJ the usurpation Of power,
the gross violation of the laws OF our Order,
by those high in authority, diSgusted with
those whose loyalty to the present ring has
been gained by the pickiIgs they receive
~ reward tor their services
to the Iawning sycOphants who crawl on
A. -, i.l h.
most corrupt, the most hypocritical, the
most autocrst!c and tyrannical clique that
| has ever controlled any labor organization.
We therefore affirm the motto of our
order that when bad men cOmbiue, the
good must associate, else they will tall,
one by one, AN unpitied sacrifice in a con
teugtible struggle We assert the hour
has come when as honest men and women
we declare ourselves independent Of those
who have abused the confidence repOsed
in them by our order.
The circular then recOuntS the charges
against the administration as follows:
|. The general office has become Ink
urious haunt for men whose chief aim is
to benefit self pecuniarily aud otherwise
,. There has been for more than year
beginning prior to the Richmond session.
an understanding which, for lack OF bet
ter word, we will call conspiracy, for the
purpose OF holding the salaried positions,
siscti,e and appoiGtiye, in and under the
! General Assembly.
3. This conspiracy has used the secret
channels and the funds OF the order to
manufacture sentiment for certain mem
| berS and againSt others
1. Organizers commissions have been
refused to members who were known to
disagree with the methods of the ring
Z. District and local assemblies have
been suspended or expelled and deprived
of voice in the General Assembly because
they were known az opponents TO the pol
icy OF the conspirators.
g. Couspiracies have been hatched
against dissenting members by the aid of
corrupt tools in the district assemblies or
local assemblies, or both Of such members.
= The records Of the general Office have
been fixed and doctOred 30 as to rule out
or admit, as the case might be, general as
sembly representatives
G. Men have been admitted as delegates
to the General Assembly who clearly had
10 constitutional right to seats, while
contrary to precedent and established Gus
tom. In ell cases the test was for or
against the ring
3. Many thousands OF lOilars OF the Or
der's funds have been Illegally expended
| frequently against the earnest protests OF
| honest aud law abiding members.